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Species Spotlight: The American Crocodile
The American crocodile has an identity problem. People regularly confuse the creature with its far-more-common cousin, the alligator, and overlook the crocodile’s distinguishing attributes --a narrower snout and exposed back teeth.
Perhaps because of this, few people are aware that the United States has a resident crocodile --much less that it is one of the rarest reptiles in the country. Only a few hundred of these leathery-skinned creatures swim the coastal wetlands and canals of southern Florida, although greater numbers are found further south in the species’ territory, which extends to Venezuela and Peru.
Like their cousins, American crocodiles were once hunted intensively for their hides. Listed as an endangered species in 1975, crocodiles have begun to recover slowly, although habitat destruction and poaching still pose major threats.
